After a wellbore ceases to produce, or the production is no longer profitable, the wellbore may become abandoned. To abandon the wellbore, a plug (e.g., a cement plug) is placed in the casing to block uphole and downhole fluid flow through the wellbore. A rotating casing cutter that is coupled to a first downhole tool is then used to make a cut above the cement plug and separate the casing into a first or upper portion and a second or lower portion.
An annulus formed between the casing and the wellbore wall, or between the casing and another, outer casing, may be filled with fluids. For instance, water, hydrocarbon liquids and/or gases, or other fluids, may be within the annulus and should be removed prior to abandonment of the wellbore. After the casing has been cut, a second downhole tool is run into the wellbore to circulate or flush these fluids out of the wellbore.